National Park Extravaganza Itinerary
4,562 mi, 8-10 National Parks, Unforgettable Memories
Austin, TX to Yosemite, CA
December 17, 2021 - January 2, 2022
This was our first big road trip and my most well thought out plan for a trip to date. Read the blog How I Planned a 17 Day Road Trip to 10 National Parks to see more about the plan. This trip taught me to be flexible with plans and embrace the unexpected because it might turn out even better than you imagined. See our 17 day planned itinerary for traveling from Austin, TX to Yosemite, CA and the itinerary that actually happened after a huge winter storm decided to stalk us.
Mileage is approximate.
Day 1- The First Leg
Austin, TX to Monahans, TX (5 ½ hours)
Stay at Monahans State Park.
We left after work and didn’t want a huge chunk of driving time, so this was a good place to stop.
Day 2- Desert Drive
Monahans State Park to Guadalupe National Park (3 hours)
Hike Devil’s Hall Trail (4.2 mi)
Stay at Pine Springs Campground inside the park.
Be sure to go all the way to the end of Devil’s Hall Trail and find the reason for its namesake.
Day 3- The Top of Texas
Hike Guadalupe Peak (8.4 mi).
Stay at Pine Springs Campground in the park.
Guadalupe Peak is considered “The Top of Texas.” The weather at the peak can be unpredictable, and the day we hiked was no exception as it was snowing for about 85% of our hike.
Day 4- Crossing State Lines
Guadalupe National Park to White Sands National Park (4 ½ hours)
Check out Carlsbad Caverns and do the Big Room Trail (1.2 mi).
Check out White Sands National Park at sunset.
Stay at Oliver Lee Campground, a New Mexico State Park about 30 minutes from White Sands National Park.
We took the route through Lincoln National Forest after a Carlsbad local said it was a far superior scenic drive.
Day 5- Saguaro Sightseeing
White Sands National Park to Saguaro National Park (4 ½ hours)
Check out the scenic drives on both sides of the park.
Hike a quick trail of your choice. We did Cactus Forest Loop Trail until we felt like turning around.
Stay at Gilbert Ray Campground, an Arizona State Park right outside of Saguaro National Park.
Tuscon is a good place to stock up on groceries and fill propane if needed.
Day 6- Coming for California
Saguaro National Park to Joshua Tree National Park (6 hours)
Hike around and take your picture of Skull Rock.
Stay at Ryan Campground in the park.
Climbing around the Jumbo Rocks makes you feel like a kid on a playground.
Day 7- Plans Can Change
Hike Ryan Mountain (3 mi).
Hike Echo Trail to Barker Dam (1.5 mi) depending on where you start.
Stay at Indian Cove Campground in the park.
This is where our plans started to change. It started raining in J-Tree, so we decided to spend the night in Los Angeles with a friend and put ourselves closer to our next destination.
Day 8- Get Me Out of This City
From here, I will show the original, planned itinerary and the itinerary we actually followed because life happened.
Original Plan:
Joshua Tree National Park to Sequoia National Park (5 ½ hours)
Check out General Sherman Tree.
Hike Congress Trail (3 mi).
Check out snow play activities at the park.
Stay at Sequoia RV Park (the last RV park before entering Sequoia National Park).
What Actually Happened:
Los Angeles, CA to Sequoia National Park (4 hours)
Stay at Sequoia RV Park.
Sequoia National Park wound up being mostly closed due to winter weather, so we decided to use the time to do laundry, winterize, pivot plans, and get ready for the next stop.
Day 9- Christmas in Yosemite
Original Plan:
Dunlap, CA to King’s Canyon National Park (30 min)
Check out General Grant Tree (“America’s Christmas Tree”).
Check out Crystal Springs
Stay at Sequoia RV Park again.
What Actually Happened:
Dunlap, CA to Yosemite National Park (3 hours)
Check out Valley View and had our breath taken away.
Hike to Mirror Lake (1.5 mi) depending on which way you take.
Stay at Upper Pines Campground inside the park.
Yosemite is absolutely beautiful in the winter, but make sure you bring tire chains. We USED them, and you are not allowed past a certain point without them.
Day 10- Crushed Spirits
Original Plan:
Dunlap, CA to Yosemite National Park (3 hours)
Check out Valley View.
Hike Bridalveil Trail (1.5 mi)
Check out ice skating in the valley.
Stay at Upper Pines Campground inside the park.
What Actually Happened:
Yosemite National Park to Bakersfield, CA (4 ½ hours)
Hike the John Muir Trail but actually get stopped before reaching the trailhead and learn that you have to evacuate the park.
Stay at Bear Mountain RV Park in Bakersfield, CA to be closer to the next destination: Death Valley National Park.
A park ranger told us they were evacuating the campgrounds in the park because 8 feet of snow was expected in the next couple of days from a powerful winter storm. It was the same storm that kept us out of Sequoia National Park.
Day 11- Pivot to Panamint Springs
Original Plan:
Hike Upper Yosemite Falls (7.2 mi)
Hike Lower Yosemite Falls (1.5 mi)
Stay at Upper Pines Campground inside the park.
What Actually Happened:
Bakersfield, CA to Death Valley National Park, Panamint Springs (3 hours)
Hike Darwin Falls (2 mi).
Stay at Panamint Springs RV Resort inside the park.
We hiked from our campground to Darwin Falls instead of driving to the trailhead because the map said it was for high clearance vehicles only, so it was actually more like 10 miles. The van definitely could have made it.
Day 11- Death Valley is Dazzling
Original Plan:
Hike Snow Creek Trail (9.4 mi).
Hike to Mirror Lake (1.5 mi).
Check out Ahwahnee Meadow.
Stay at Upper Pines Campground inside the park.
What Actually Happened:
Panamint Springs to Zabriskie Point for sunrise (1 hour)
Hike Golden Canyon Trail (4 mi).
Drive around A LOT and realize that Death Valley is one of the coolest places on Earth.
Check out Dante’s View for a breathtaking sunset.
Check out Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes and look at the stars.
Stay at Stovepipe Wells Campground inside the park.
Although it wasn’t a part of the original plan, we are so glad we got to spend extra time taking in just how beautiful Death Valley National Park really is.
Day 13- Embracing Your Inner Tourist
Original Plan:
Yosemite National Park to Death Valley National Park (7 hours)
Hike to Darwin Falls (2 mi).
Stay at Panamint Springs RV Resort inside the park.
What Actually Happened:
Death Valley, Stove Pipe Wells to Grand Canyon National Park (6 ½ hours)
Check out the Ryolite Ghost Town
Stop in Vegas for a bit if that’s your vibe.
Check Out the Hoover Dam.
Stay at Trailer Village RV Park inside the park.
It never occurred to me that we would need an oil change mid-trip because we had driven so much. Vegas wound up being a great place to stop for that.
Day 14- Grand Views
Original Plan:
Death Valley National Park to Flagstaff, AZ (6 hours)
Check out Zabriskie Point at sunrise.
Hike Golden Canyon Trail (4 mi).
Stay at Flagstaff KOA about 30 minutes outside of Grand Canyon National Park.
What Actually Happened:
Ride a mule around the rim of the canyon.
Stop at the canyon to catch an incredible sunset.
Stay at Trailer Village RV Park inside the park.
We were pretty tired at this point of the trip and took it kind of easy. We just wanted to take in the views and appreciate the time we had left in our journey.
Day 15- Happy New Years
Original Plan:
Flagstaff, AZ to Grand Canyon National Park (1 ½ hours)
Check out the Hermit Road scenic drive.
Check out the Desert View scenic drive.
Stay at Trailer Village RV Park inside the park.
What Actually Happened:
Grand Canyon National Park to Albuquerque, NM (6 hours)
Stay at a friend’s house.
Once we got kicked out of Yosemite and our plans changed, we decided to embrace the opportunity to spend New Years Eve with some of our closest friends.
Day 16- Homestretch
Original Plan:
Grand Canyon National Park to Lubbock, TX (11 hours)
Stop in Albuquerque, NM for lunch with friends.
Stay at a Wal-Mart parking lot in Lubbock, TX.
What Actually Happened:
Albuquerque, NM to Austin, TX (11 hours)
Stay in our own bed for the first time in 16 days.
We were chased by the same winter storm that kicked us out of Sequoia, King’s Canyon, and Yosemite ALL the way home, and we dealt with snow and ice basically the entire drive.
Day 17- Feel the Love
Original Plan:
Lubbock, TX to Austin, TX (5 ½ hours)
Stay at home, finally.
What Actually Happened:
A much needed rest day and lots of cuddles after a trip of a lifetime.
Tips:
Wake up early for drives and planned hikes. You just might catch an incredible sunrise, and you get more time at your next destination.
Plan days of lower activity, so you can rest and recover during your trip.
Figure out places along your route that are good for restocking food, propane, gas, and other essentials.
Be flexible!
